PARIS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Rennes rose up to fifth place folowing a 2-0 road victory over Bordeaux, while four lower-ranked outfits shared points in their attempt to avoid relegation in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Rennes striker Ismaila Sarr was on position to slot home in the 49th minute after Bordeaux goalkeeper Benoit Costil blocked Wahbi Khazri's shot onto the post.
Yoann Gourcuff, once seen as a promising star in France, sealed the win for Rennes in the 86th minute, just two minutes after he came off the bench.
Rennes moved past Nantes, who had one game in hand, to fifth place en route to next season's European tournament.
It was a tough battle to avoid relegation for relatively lower-ranked sides, as they were divided by a one-point gap in between.
16th-ranked Amiens tied 18th-placed Troyes 1-1 at home, as both sides converted a penalty in either half of the match.
Strasbourg, who sat 15th, earned one point apiece with their 17th-ranked opponents Toulouse following a 2-2 draw, where three goals were scored in the final minutes.
Jeremy Blayac put Strasbourg ahead after the restart. After former Arsenal player Yaya Sanogo scored a brace in the 89th and 91st minute, Strasbourg defender Bakary Kone finished a last-gasp equalizer to conclude the breath-taking duel.
Strasbourg were ahead of Amiens by one point, the same gap that separated three following teams, namely Toulouse, Troyes and Lille, who lost to defending champions Monaco 2-1 on Friday.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Angers crushed Caen 3-0, and Montpellier tied Dijon 2-2.
Marseille and Lyon, also in contention for UEFA Champions League spot, will face off on Sunday. Paris Saint-Germain, who has a 14-point advantage in hand, will visit Nice.
